Mark Siegel, Executive Director of Media and Analyst Relations with AT&T, told iLounge in an email, “If you upgrade from an 8 to a 16 GB iPhone, you sign a new contract. However, we automatically backdate it to the starting point of your contract on the 8 GB phone.” He added that the company “will make every effort to ensure that our reps provide customers with the correct information,” and clarified that customers should activate the SIM card that comes with the new model.

This makes no sense whatsoever. If I put my old SIM in, and throw the new one away, don't I just avoid this hassle altogether? I thought iPhones worked with any iTunes activated SIM--put it in and connect to iTunes.

Maybe they figure people will be too stupid to understand the paperclip SIM replacement diagram.

Quote:

Originally Posted by overanalyzer

Do you normally sign a new (backdated) contract when upgrading your phone? Or is this an iPhone specific thing?

Usually, at least here in the U.S., people buy new phones subsidized, so the contract extension makes sense. But for most any company specific phone (AT&T locked in this case), or for any unlocked SIM phone, you just pop your SIM in and it works. No need to deal with the company at all if you're buying unsubsidized.

(AKA buying another one and...well, getting rid of the other one somehow).

Maybe that's the goal? With these "special SIMs" that ATT is using in the iPhone, this would make it easier to get rid of your old iPhone. But, what is the contract start date for the guy that you sell your phone to? Is it your old date as well or is it the date that he activates himself as the new owner (that would be kind of crappy - buy a used phone and still need to have a 2 years).

You need to get the phone past the activation screen. It is only going to get past that screen if you activate a new sim in it.

There are no special sim's in iPhone, it is the phone that would prevent you from swapping sims... not the practicality of it.

Once a US phone has been activated, any AT&T sim will work in it. Before it has been activated, no sim will work in it. You need to activate the new sim which makes the old one useless. That is why it is done like this.

To put it simply, your new 16gig phone will not get past the activation screen if you put an 8gig sim in it. It needs a fresh activation with a fresh sim.

When they say "Sign" a contract, do they actually mean "agree to" a contract without a signature?

Because if I asked my current provider (Rogers) to show me my signature on a contract, they might find the request a little... challenging. And yet they'll happily refer to the contract I allegedly signed if I try to make major changes to my plan or try to get out of it.

__________________"It is a mistake to think you can solve any major problems just with potatoes."Douglas Adams

Upgrade Cost = $499 for new iPhone - how much you get for your old iPhone on eBay

In my case, that would be $499 - $300 for the old phone I sold in a matter of hours on Craigslist. $200 to double my storage AND get a new phone in perfect condition is not a bad deal, as far as I am concerned.

Usually, at least here in the U.S., people buy new phones subsidized, so the contract extension makes sense. But for most any company specific phone (AT&T locked in this case), or for any unlocked SIM phone, you just pop your SIM in and it works. No need to deal with the company at all if you're buying unsubsidized.

Except in the case of the iPhone, apparently, since they're telling people to activate the new SIM and sign the new contract instead of swapping the old SIM to the new phone. That's what struck me as odd.